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Huskies look to continue building in game against Wildcats

David Archambeau/Daily Mining Gazette Michigan Tech’sn Ellie Mackay drives around two Davenport defenders during a game Saturday at the Wood Gym.

HOUGHTON — Michigan Tech Huskies women’s basketball coach Sam Hoyt circled one specific game when she first found out last spring that she was taking the reigns at her alma mater. This weekend, that game comes into focus as her Huskies travel to face their closest rivals, the Northern Michigan Wildcats.

In short, she loves a good rivalry.

“It is just an exciting week,” Hoyt said. “It was when I was a player, and now here as a coach.”

The Huskies (11-7 overall, 7-3 GLIAC) will head to Marquette coming off of a 53-35 loss to the Grand Valley State Lakers a week ago and then a 70-48 win over the Davenport Panthers. Hoyt explained that there were lessons to be learned from both games.

In the the Grand Valley game, Hoyt was pleased with her team’s defensive effort. In particular she was happy with the way they slowed down the Lakers’ 6-foot-4 center Cassidy Boensch.

“We were really sharp in limiting her,” Hoyt said. “Our guards were frustrating her and that was good to see.”

However, Hoyt added that there was much to be desired in that game offensively. She thought her shooters were timid and then, after having couple of shots blocked, the girls passed up some good shot opportunities.

“Ultimately though, if you can’t put the ball in the basket, you can’t win the game,” she said in light of her team only scoring 35 points.

Two days later on Saturday, scoring was the on the mind of all of her players.

“We came out aggressive with a scoring mindset,” said Hoyt. “We were shooting the ball when we were open and we kept our defensive urgency up as well.”

Every player on the Husky bench scored in the the win over Davenport.

“The players took it upon themselves, and (realized) that they are really good players and are capable of creating offense,” said Hoyt.

She noted that the schedule has worked out well that this game against the Wildcats comes when it does. In her eyes, Grand Valley and Davenport were great warm-ups to a Wildcat team that is atop the North Division in the GLIAC (14-4 overall, 9-1 GLIAC).

Like Grand Valley, Northern Michigan has two tall post players. Emily Mueller is a 6-foot-3 freshman and Taylor Hodell is a 6-foot-4 senior averaging 8.6 points per game (ppg). Other leaders on their team include guard/forward Lexi Smith with 11.1 ppg and forward/center Jessica Schultz who averages 10.6 ppg.

As a team, the Wildcats average 62.7 ppg. They shoot 43.3 percent from the field and 35.2 percent past the three-point line.

The Huskies enter the game averaging 64.9 ppg. They are shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 34.3 percent on three pointers.

Abbie Botz leads the Huskies in average points per game with 10.9. Ellie Mackay follows close behind with 10.1 ppg along with Cassidy Trotter who is averaging 9.7.

While they are enjoying one less game this week, Hoyt and her squad are hard at work preparing to take on their natural U.P. rivals.

“The keys to this game are going to be to limit their play in the paint,” said Hoyt. “We cannot let the ball get into their post players. And on our end, we are going to to have to play offense and make our outside shots. In in these types of games, it will come down to a fight.”

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